The present invention pertains to a plant transplanter and more particularly to a mechanical plant transplanter which is especially adapted for use with small and large leafed plants.
When transplanting plants, it is important that they be planted without damaging the leaves, stems or roots. Additionally, it is important to have the plants placed at a uniform depth and spacing so that the maximum number of plants may be planted in a field and still thrive. It is also important that the planter mechanism itself not jam or otherwise interfere with the transplanting process.
Mechanical transplanters are known which enable a large number of plants to be planted in a field in a relatively short time frame, and at regular intervals. With known transplanters, however, it is difficult to transplant large leafed plants without damaging them. One prior art transplanter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,373, entitled SEEDLING TRANSPLANTER. This transplanter includes a rotating tray with a pair of doors at the bottom of each cup for discharging plants from said cup into square transporter, and including a kicker at the bottom of the transporter. This transplanter is not reliable as plants becomes jammed at the location where the kicker meets the bottom of the square shoot for discharging plants from a furrow opening shoe. Additionally, the cup and doors arrangement disclosed in this patent does not adequately position plants over the transporter to prevent damage to large plants. Other known transplanters also damage plants as they pass through the planting mechanism, which is especially a problem for large leafed plants. Consequently, workers must manually replace damaged plants which have been planted by the mechanical transplanter.
Transplanters typically include a shoe which cuts a furrow in which plants are placed by the planting mechanism. Known shoes accumulate dirt thereon which widen the furrow, rendering planting unreliable. One prior art solution which avoids dirt accumulation on the shoe has a polymeric surface to which dirt does not stick. However, known furrow opening shoes having a polymer surface material wear prematurely and thus are relatively expensive to maintain.